Venue Named Under Exception Act

HR 194, the Venue Named Under Exception Act (VENUE Act), changes where federal criminal cases are filed for offenses committed on federal property in the National Capital Region. It allows charges to be filed in the defendant’s last known residence district (instead of the District of Columbia) and requires courts to transfer cases to the defendant’s home district upon request, if domiciled in the U.S. This applies to crimes in Washington, D.C., and specific counties/cities in Maryland and Virginia surrounding the capital. The bill excludes non-U.S. domiciled defendants and certain pre-existing jurisdiction rules.